Cak coupling



(No Model. 2 sheets-sh 1.

K. KNOX. Y GAR-COUPLING. No, 507,821. Patented Oct. 31,1893.

WITNESSES." j/vmwioizx w jzzom a,

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

H. K. KNOX. GAR COUPLING.

"No. 507,821. Patented OQt. 31, 1893.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY K. KNOX, OF vnvAY, INDIANA.

CAR-COUPLING.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,821, dated October 31, 1893. Application filed June 22,1893. Serial No. 478,492. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY K. KNOX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Vevay, in the county of Switzerland andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the ends of two cars connected together by my improved auxiliary coupling. Fig. 2 is a plan or top View of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of my improved auxiliary or supplemental coupling, detached from the cars. Fig. 4 is a detail View of one of the draft-bars or coupling-bars appertaining to the cars, but showing it detached from the same; and Fig. 5 is a plan View illustrating means for connecting a tender or locomotive to the end of a car equipped with my improved auxiliary coupling.

Like reference numerals denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to auxiliary couplings, that is to say, couplings that are intended to be used in connection with, and supplemental or auxiliary to, the ordinary coupling, of that type whereby the cars are connected or coupled at the top as Well as in the ordinary way by couplings (automatic or otherwise); and it consists in certain improvements upon the car-coupling for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 493,095 were granted to me on the 7th day of March, 1893. The nature of these improvements, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, have for their primary object to strengthen the auxiliary coupling and its attachments and facilitate its application and operation. It is not intended to supersede the draw-head coupling; but (as the coupling described and claimed in my patent hereinbefore referred to) is intended as an auxiliary or supplementary coupling, by the use of which the swaying motion of a fast-running train (especially when turning curves) is greatly reduced, thereby not only lessening the wear and strain of any approved pattern. At each end the car is provided with a transverse bar 2, which may be either straight, as shown and described in my Patent No. 493,095, or it may be curved, as shown on the drawings appertaining to this application. To each end of this bar is fastened a draft-rod 3, which passes along opposite sides of the car, a little below and parallel to the top or roof, belowthe overhang or eaves, and across the top of a diagonal side brace or prop 4, the lower end of which is stepped in the side sills 5, as shown in Fig. 1. The draftrod 3, after passing across the top of this brace orsupport, is bent in a downward direction and firmly nutted to the under side of the sill; a left and right-hand turn-buckle or swivel-joint, 6, being provided, by the turning of which the draft-rod 3 may be tightened, when necessary tov take up slack. In this manner I provide a very strong and durable attachment for the transverse draft-bar 2 to the car, which relieves the upper part of the car-body of all strain; the strain or tension being carried by the diagonal brace 4 and bottom sill 5, only.

Upon the middle of each of the draft bars 2 is fastened a reinforcing block or plate 7, the center of which has an aperture 8 for the insertion of a swiveled eye-bolt 9. These eyebolts, appertaining to two adjacent cars, are united by means of the coupling shown more clearly in the detail View Fig. 3, which consists of two parallel side plates 10, 10, connected at opposite ends by heads 11, 11, one of which has a left-hand threaded and the other a right hand threaded aperture, into which are screwed the adjustable coupling hooks 12, the outer bent ends of which are adapted to fit the eyes of the coupling bolts 9. The frame formed by the sides 10 and ends or heads 11 is made rotatable by means of a hand-wheel 13, so that the coupling may be lengthened or shortenedi. a, the distance between the coupling-hooks 12 increased or decreased-by turning the hand-wheel 13, which can be done while the train is in motion. In order to give suflicient spring to this supplemental coupling (independent of the resiliency due to the curved bar), one of the couplinghooks 12,instead of beingscrewed into the head 11, is screwed into a block 11, which slides between the side-plates 10, 10; a stifi coiled spring 11 ,being located between the stationary head 11, and slidable block 11, as shown in Fig.3; so that the hook will give or yield in substantially the same manner as the buffer appertaining to the regular-drawhead coupling, when the cars come together in stopping the train, and also when the train is started. It will be obvious that, if desired, both the coupling-hooks may be provided with a slidable block or hearing, each with its appropriate buffer-spring, although, in practice, one of these yielding buffer-blocks and springs in each upper coupling will be found to answer the purpose, when the spring is of sufficient strength and stiffness.

Fromthe foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation of myimproved auxiliary top-coupling will be readily understood. As the cars are coupled by their drawheads in the ordinary manner, the eye-bolts 9 of connecting cars will be brought into alignment with each other, so that the hooks 12 of the coupling (the same having been adjusted to the proper length) can be dropped into the eyes of the respective coupling-bolts; and by turning the handwheels 13, the coupling may be tightened up sufficiently to prevent the hooks from slipping out by the motion of the train. By this means, the cars are securely coupled at their tops, yet without the least strain on the part of the car, and the swaying motion on going around curves will be prevented to a very great extent. As the hooks are rotatable in their eyes, and as the latter, again, are rotatable in their apertures or bearings 8 in the draft bars, this coupling will readily yield and adjust itself to the undulating motion of the cars, thus obviating undue strain or tension on any part of the auxiliary coupling, which will conform in its motions to the motions of the regular drawhead coupling below. If it is desired to connect the tender or locomotive to a car equipped with this auxiliary top-coupling, the ends of the reinforcing plate 7 are provided with eyes 14, into which may be hooked one end of two diagonal rods 15, the converging other ends of which engage a hooked rod 16, connected by a turn-buckle or swivel-joint 17 to a stout hook 18, adapted to engage an eye-bolt 19 secured on the middle of atransverse draft bar 20, suitably fastened to the frame of the tender or locomotive. By proper adjustment of the swivel-joint 17, the connecting rod may be lengthened or shortened as circumstances may require, so as to take up slack and provide a strong, efiicient and easily operated connection. By making the transverse reinforced draft-bars 2 curved orcon vex, instead of flat and straight, I provide room for the working of a folding or adjustable vestibule in socalled vestibule passenger trains; besides 4 fore, has to sustain the greatest strain; yet,

as this plate is shorter than the bar, the reduced ends of this are enabled to give or yield somewhat, precisely as a compound leafspring in a wagon, not only in starting and stopping the train, but in turning around curves, where the strain on one side is greater than on the other. This, therefore, is an important improvement, and is especially intended for use with my improved top-coupling in its application to passenger coaches, sleeping cars, and hotel or dining cars.

It will be obvious that the coupling herein described may be used with a flat or straight draft-bar of the shape and construction shown in my Patent No. 493,095; and that, conversely, a coupling of the form therein shown and described may be substituted for the adj ustable double-hook coupling described in the present application, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. The combination with a railway car of the curved transverse draft-bars located below and projecting from the roof of the car, and provided with movable eye-bolts adapted to engage a hooked coupling; substantially as described.

2. The combination with a railway car of the curved transverse draft-bars having central movable coupling-bolts and provided with side rods, or draft-rods, passingalong opposite sides of the car, across diagonal braces stepped in the bottom sills, and fastened in the said sills on the farther side of the brace; substantially as described.

3. The combination with the transverse draft-bars having central reinforcing-plates provided with rotatable eyebolts, of the coup ling comprising the side pieces 10, screwthreaded heads 11, hand-wheel 13, and adjustable screw-threaded hooks 12; substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY K. KNOX.

Witnesses:

OSCAR I-I. WEBB, LEWIS F. WORKS. 

